Sorry! I accidentally hit the thumbs down button!
Lol at your comparison but it didn't feel like that at all. It's yaoi after all.
I totally get what you mean. Haven't read the chapter yet, but when I read "Based off of a real BL story" on the 4th page I rolled my eyes. It's like my worst nightmare as a gay fudanshi. I love BL, but sometimes get frustrated with the exploitation of gay life/love. This "real gays!" marketing just rubbed me a little wrong. (Will read the story though and give it a chance).
Ok read ch 1 and I'm mixed like the OP. The actual story is interesting and felt fresh to me (and as someone who's read yaoi for 10 years now that's great). Though, the end when the business man showed up felt a little cliché/gimmicky to me, and I still don't like the "real gays!" marketing/perspective. That said, the actual story isn't straight up stereotypes, exploitation, or appropriation. In fact, I think it handles the MC very well. But again, it's just ch 1. - A random review from a random stranger.
I think the main marketing tool was still the "Based on a true story" part. For me, I'm immediately a bit more intrigued when I see that regardless of genre or subject (although most of the time I know there has to be a silent "loosely" in there). But I definitely believe the "real gays!" gimmick exists as I've seen that in some places too.
Read chapter 2. The actual guy comments on events in the story. It feels more like a memoir.
I don't consider it exploitation. It doesn't say “real gays!” it says “based on the true story of an actual gay couple” which is respectful phrasing.
What is wrong with basing a story on something true? When something is based on a true story, marketing says that all the time. Do you think they should hide it or something? People find reality-based stories interesting, so let them know, right? Why does it suddenly become offensive because it's about a gay couple?
As someone else said, there's no fetishization here. I don't understand how it's different from any other story based on someone's life or love.
I meant for that reply to be for that other person. But I wanted to respond directly to what you said about “author is treating a "real gay love story" with the same novelty and exoticism as early colonial efforts to the New World.” I don't think that's what's going on. They aren't treating a real gay love story with novelty. They're treating a BL manga based on a real gay couple love story with novelty. There is a distinct difference. One is offensive. One is not. And the “exoticism” I can't agree with at all. Exoticism implies “foreignness.” What's said doesn't give any implication that a real gay couple is “foreign”
I think exoticism more so implies with a sort of fetishism mindset than "foreign" one actually. Exoticism has a connotation of being foreign but that "foreign" holds a sort of romanticized and idealized appeal of desirable possession
Mixed feelings: On the one hand, Akira immediately demystifies some of the misconceptions about gay men; on the other, the author is treating a "real gay love story" with the same novelty and exoticism as early colonial efforts to the New World. I get that's still a common mindset in Japan, but still a bit of a downer :